Lamp for burning heavy hydrocarbon oils



(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. M. SIMS. LAMP FOR BURNING HEAVY 'HYDROGARBON OILS. No. 441,446. Patented Nov. 25, 1890.

FIG:1. FIG:2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QEFTCE.

FRANCIS M. SIMS, OF MANCHESTER, ASSIGNOR, TO MORITZ BLUMANN, OF

LONDON, ENGLAND.

LAMP FOR BURNING HEAVY HYDROCARBON OILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,446, dated November 25, 1890. Application filed September 3,1889. Serial No. 322,890. (No model.) Patented in England July 3, 1889, No; 10.724.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MONTAGUE SIMS, asubject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented Improvements in Lamps for Burning Heavy Hydrocarbon Oils, which improvements are also applicable to other purposes wherein it is desirable to maintain a fluid at a constant level, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 10,724, dated July 25,1889) of which the following is a specifica- This invention relates especially to appliances designed for burning heavy hydrocarbon oils-such, for example, as those found in the Russian Empire, in the Province of Burmah, and elsewherethe specific gravity of which is such that they cannot be burned in ordinary lamps employed for burning the lighter kinds of hydrocarbon oils, as the cap illary attraction is too weak to cause them to ascend the wick, and for this reason their use has hitherto been confined principally to lubricating purposes. In burning oils of this class, beyond the question of the form of burner and the regulation of the draft, the primary requisite (as the heavy oil will not ascend the wick, excepting for a very short distance by capillary attraction) is to provide means whereby the level of the oil in the burner can be automatically maintained at a point perfectly constant, or as nearly so as possible, and this level must be only a short distance below the burning portion of the wick, so that the capillarity of the wick may be practically a constant force, in order that the wick shall bekept at all times sufficiently supplied with oil, at the same time that there shall be no danger of the flooding or overflowing of the oil. The maintaining of the oil in the wick-holder at a constantlevel is a most important feature, because any variations ofthe level of the oil in the burner will cause corresponding fluctuationsin the light, as will be well understood by any competent person.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates the general arrangement by which I propose to effect the desired result, the oilreservoir being shown in section. Figs. 2, 2, 3, and 4 are detached sectional elevations of various modifications of the overflowchamber D, hereinafter more particularly referred to. a

A is an oil-reservoir,which is air-tight and is placed at some distance above the level of the burner 13. t

G is the supply-pipe, which proceeds from the bottom of the reservoir.

As in this pneumatic system the air entering the reservoir to supply the place of the oil withdrawn therefrom (be the quantity small or great) is subject to the law applicable to air and gases, that the force with which it seeks to expand is equal to the compressing force and, inversely, as to the space which it occupies, I have, in addition to keeping the oil at a constant level, to provide means 'for the absorption of an excess and varying quantity of oil, due to the fact that the oil issuing from the reservoir is greater in bulk than the air which entered the reservoir, which would tend both to disturb the level and to cause an overflow.

In order to apply my improved principle to any existing pipes or gasoliers or other similar fittings, I may proceed either, first, by dividing the pipe 0 above the level of the burner B, or, second, by leaving the pipe uncut, if preferred. In either case the lower portion of the supply-pipe is bent upward, and the wick-holder is attached to the end thereof. The former case (wherein I divide the pipe 0 above the level of the burner) is illustrated by the detached section, Fig. 2, which is drawn to a larger scale. Inside the lower end of the pipe 0, (below the cut,) I insert a short inner tube a, of tapering form, its upper end fitting air and liquid tight into the supply-pipe O and its lower end or mouth tapering oif to a smaller diameter and extending to a point corresponding with the point in the wickholder B at which I desire to preserve a constant level. I then reconnect the divided portion of the pipe with or without the addition at this point of a stop-tap b. I then perforate the outer pipe, as at 0, so that air is admitted of the inner tubea; or in some cases I dispense with the perforation c in the outer tube and admit air at the point 0. as shown in section at Fig. 3, the socket (Z acting as a cover and preventing the ingress of dust or other extraneous matter; or, if preferred, I admit air at the point e. (See Fig. 3.) In case I do not desire to out the supply-pipe, I surround it at this point (see Fig. 2") with a short piece of tube a of a slightly larger diameter, making a liquid-tight joint at the bottom end and leave the upper end open to the atmosphere, having previously perforated the supply-pipe at a point corresponding with the point in the wick and oil holder at which I desire to preserve the level. This arrangement-is virtually the same as the above, with the exception that the feed-pipe c is in the one case the outer of two concentric tubes and in the other it is the inner one of the two, and in both cases the level of the oil will be maintained approximately at the point which corresponds in one case with the lower orifice or mouth of the inner tube and in the other case with the perforation of the supply-pipe. As soon as the level of the oil falls below the mouth of the inner tube a in the one case or of the perforation in the feed-pipe C in the other case air is admitted and passes in the form of bubbles up the supply-pipe .G into the upper part of the reservoir A, allowing a corresponding proportion of oil to descend and raise the level, so as to again close the mouth or perforation and stop further descent of oil. Owing, however, to the causes above mentioned this level would not always remain absolutely constant, and it is necessary, therefore, to provide for fluctuations in the level due to any excessive issue of oil which might at times cause overflow or flooding, and for this purpose I fit the pipe C or the wick-holder B with what I term an overflow-chamber D, Fig. 1, the diameter of the said chamber being greater than its height and considerably larger than that of the space between the outer and inner tubes 0 and a, so that any rise of level which would be quite appreciable in that space (and consequently in the wick-holder) will, when spread over this increased area, be reduced almost to nil. This overflow-chamber D is placed round the feed-pipe (in the first case above referred to) in such a position that the bottom of the chamber D stands level with the mouth of the innertube a, the outertube C having been perforated at this point c to allow the oil is covered to prevent ingress of the foreign matter.

The action will then be as follows:

\Vhen the apparatus in use, the excess of oil due to air-expansion. instead of raising the oil level in the wick-holder B, and possibly flooding, will be received into this overflow-chamber I), where it will be spread over the much greater superficial area, and the level of the oil in the wick-holder will not therefore be caused to exceed the bounds set to it, and this excess in the said overflowchamber must all flow back again into the feed-pipe C1 and wick-holder B and be consumed before the level of the oil can fall sufficiently low to admit air and renew the supply of oil.

The overflow-chamberD and concentric tube may be so constructed that by raising or lowering them the level of the oil in the wickholder can be altered, as desired, in order to suit oils of different specific gravities. This arrangement is shown in section at Fig. 4. In this case the supply-pipe O is uncut, and is provided with two or more sets of air-holes f and f, the outer sliding pipe O carrying the overflow-chamber D, and being provided with one set of air-holes only at g at the bottom of the chamber. Upon sliding this outer tube O up or down so as to bring the holes 9 level with either the holes f or f on the inner or supply pipe 0 the level of the e il, in the wick-holder will be raised or lowered accordingly. It will be evident that this pneumatic arrangement will be equally applicable to various other purposes, wherein it is desired to maintain a liquid at a constant level.

In the case of portable lamps, whether hand or pillar lamps, the oil-reservoir and the overflow-chamber D'will be either placed in or be otherwise attached to the body of the lamp itself; but in the case of permanent fittings (whether suspended or otherwise) the said chamber may be attached to the gasolier-bracket or other fitting; or it may be attached to the supply-pipe, as shown at Fig. 1 or otherwise, so long as it is on the same level as the wick-holder or burner, and, as before stated, it may be either permanently fixed at that level or it may be adj ustablc to different levels to suitoils of. varying specific gravities. The oil-reservoir must be placed at a higher level.

In all cases provision is made by causing the lower end of the feed-opening to project into the reservoir, as shown at Fig. 1, or by a dome or otherwise to leave a suificient quantity of air in the reservoir when it is filled.

I claim as my invention- 1. In appliances for burning heavy hydrocarbon oils, the combination of an air-tight pneumatic oil-reservoir and a supply-pipe, with a tube concentric to the supply-pipe, and an overflow-chamber surrounding the supplypipe at a level with the burner, the said chamber communicating at its lower part with the supply-pipe and having an extended area, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IIO

an overflow-chamber on a level with the 4 burner, communicating at its base with the I 5 supply-pipe and provided with an inlet at the top, and a tapering tube fitted in the supply-pipe, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 20 two subscribing witnesses.

FRAS. M. sIMs. Witnesses:

JNo. HUGHES, J. E. HUGHES. 

